"Umm, I had to bake pizza so I took it off so it won't get spoilt". She lied
"It's real silver! It can't get rusted. You promised me you were never taking it off" Carlos said, feeling disappointed.
Anne knew Carlos was upset because one of his major flaws is his anger issues.
Every little thing gets Carlos upset.
"I'm sorry I had to take it off. I only did that because I was busy with my hands and I didn't want it to get in the way". She lied again. She didn't want to upset Carlos upset.
"I understand you're a baker…" Carlos said and Anne interrupted him with a short kiss on his lips to ease the tension.
"I promise I'll put it on once I'm done okay?" Anne said.
Suddenly there was an aggressive knock on Anne's shop.
"I need my rent money right now" the landlord barged in, yelling.
"Gosh! The month hasn't ended yet why is this man bothering me" Anne said to herself.
"I need my rent money right now," said the landlord again.
"It's the 25th of this month and my rent usually expires on the 30th so what's your deal huh? What do you gain by putting up a show" Anne yelled at the landlord
"I can't wait for the 30th I want it right now." The landlord insisted.
Carlos interrupted the landlord "hold up, I promise to give you your rent money with 10 percent interest tomorrow if you stop harassing Anne."
Anne looked at Carlos with doubt hoping he wasn't kidding.
"Hmm, do you promise? The landlord was surprised.
He came there to humiliate Anne but it seemed the tables has turned.
"I promise" Carlos assured.
"If I don't get it by tomorrow as promised, both of you will get the embarrassment of your lives," the landlord said and he walked out.
"Carlos, how are you going to get such money by tomorrow?" Anne asked worriedly.
"Baby, just trust me, okay? you know I always keep to my word" Carlos said and kissed her forehead.
"Now, if you'll excuse me I have something I need to take care of," Carlos said and left.
Anne smiled as she now had faith in Carlos and she felt hopeful that her rent will soon be paid.
"I need to keep on looking for my bracelet," she said to herself.
"I've searched everywhere and I don't think it's here," she said and left the diner.
She walked down the street in search of her bracelet.
"How am I going to see it when it's so tiny? I'm so screwed" she groaned.
****
Meanwhile at Carl's new office.
Carl was sitting in his swivel chair absent-minded daydreaming about Anne and smiling to himself while touching his cheek that was slapped.
He laughed silently whenever he thought of that. He looked at the transparent glass behind him to see if he still had the wound on his lips but it was hard to see.
"Why can't I stop thinking about her, I barely know her. I wonder if I'll ever see her again" he said.
He brought out her bracelet staring at it, fantasizing about the scenario when she turned to look at him with rage at the subway.
"The subway," he said to himself, smiling like an idiot.
If someone should look at him at that point, they'll think he has lost it in his head.
"I have to check the subway again to see if she'll come looking for her bracelet," he said and kept the bracelet inside his pocket.
Just then, Carlos barged in and sat on the chair opposite Carl with his feet on Carl's desk.
"If it isn't the baddest CEO who has taken over NYPD's company with amazing reporters, incredible journalists, badass detectives, professional prosecutors, and an intellectual lawyer like myself with brilliant cops". Carlos hailed Carl while clapping.
"You know it's highly unprofessional as my employee to keep his feet on my desk," Carl smirked
"My best friend is the CEO of this company so I can do whatever the fuck I want," Carlos laughed.
Carl also laughed "I knew I scared you at some point didn't I?" Carl asked
"not really! You're very nice and soft-hearted but when it comes to your job, you can be cold-hearted but not for me. We've been friends for twenty-two years and you can never bail on me" Carlos said and dropped his feet off the desk.
"It doesn't mean you have to go against the law just because we're friends. I won't spare if you commit any criminal crime okay?" he warned Carlos
"chill that's not why I'm here. When am I getting paid? Carlos asked
"As soon as you get a job done. Why? Do you want money for something?" Carl asked.
Carlos knew Carl is a cheerful giver and a selfless person who was ready to help him financially no matter the amount.
Carlos took a deep breath, his pride didn't let him ask Carl he needed money to pay his girlfriend's rent.
"I'll stick with my plan A on how to pay Anne's rent," Carlos said in his head.
"Nope I was just asking" Carlos replied
"Okay I want to ask you something I'm asking for a friend," Carl said.
"Okay go on, I'm all ears," Carlos said, paying full attention to Carl.
"my friend told me he saw a lady, a very beautiful lady he just saw her once which didn't even take up to two minutes and since then, he can't stop daydreaming about her.
She's all over his head and he's longing to meet her again. What do you think about that? Do you have any idea what he is feeling inside?" Carl asked not admitting he was talking about himself.
He's too embarrassed to talk about a lady because he swore never to fall in love again ever since his last relationship which caused him to get traumatized.
"tell your friend…," Carlos said as he airs quotes.
"he's just experienced love at first sight. Tell him to give in to his feelings and if it grows, he's really in love but If it fades as time goes by it was just an attraction" Carlos advised.
"what if it grows against my own will because I'm a little scared of falling in love again". Carl responded
"I thought you were asking for a friend? Carlos laughed.
"Okay, you got me. What about your fake girlfriend Carl asked to change the topic
"She's not fake and I'll introduce you both to prove she's real" Carlos responded sharply.
Just then, Ms. Sarah, Carl's mom walks in.
"see you, later bro," Carlos said to Carl while leaving the office giving Ms. Sarah a death stare while she rolled her eyes and sat down where Carlos was sitting.
"mother, welcome to my office but why are you here". Carl said.
"I heard you've not been returning Blair's calls or texts. What is the matter with you? Isn't she beautiful enough?" Ms. Sarah questioned
"Mom, she is but I can't just give my heart to her. I'm not just interested in her." Carl said arranging the files and paper works on his desk
"So is there someone else on your mind?" she asked suspiciously but Carl ignored her question.
"silence means yes." She said and Carl scoffed.
"I see!, Blair's mom and I are like sisters and I want you to get married into that family of class, not some random girls who are likely to be gold diggers. I've set you and Blair on a date and you must not let her down." Ms. Sarah said pointing at him.
"of course, I'm going to show up," Carl replied.
"I'm glad you've reconsidered," Ms. Sarah smiled and left the office.
***
Carlos was in a secret building designed for just the Black Blade. The black blade is the name of the gang he's in. They do criminal stuff like; selling illegal drugs, robbing banks, and sometimes even killing people who mess with them.
"I want to rob a bank tonight," Carlos said to the leader of the gang who is mostly known as the drug lord.
He is in his fifties and he started the whole black blade group.
"I thought you'll ditch us now that you're a lawyer. But isn't it dangerous now that Mr. McAlester who is a famous prosecutor in Canada now works with the police here in New York?" Linda said.
She's the drug lord's daughter and currently Carlos's ex-girlfriend but she's still madly in love with him.
Carlos sneered at Linda hearing her own opinion but she added.
"his team is always alert whenever there's a crime scene and we both know he's a good stuntman so criminals barely escape from him whether armed or not?"
The members of the gang used to be 13 in number and most of them lost their lives through gunshots from the police while some are now in prison.
They're now down to five; Carlos, Linda, Snakes, Kim, and their leader the drug lord.
They all cover their faces with masks during their operations so no one can tell who's who.
Carlos is the drug lord's favorite and most trusted member because of his high intelligence.
"That is why you're carrying out this operation alone," the drug lord said to Carlos.
"what??" Carlos scoffed at what the drug lord just said.